The Tour Chronology: 1962-1993

Born December 20 1961 on Long Island, New York, Mike Keneally moved to San Diego, California, at an early age. He started playing music at the age of 7 when he had received an electric organ for his birthday. He had also received a guitar on his eleventh birthday, and also plays bass and drums. His early childhood musical influences included The Beatles, and theme music from cartoon and television shows such as, “The Wallace and Ladmo Show” and “2001: A Space Odyssey”.

Up until 1987 MK plays in various bands, the best known of these being Drop Control. In 1987 MK joins Frank Zappa‘s band as guitarist/keyboardplayer/singer, and as such tours the world in 1988. Keneally had called Zappa and said that he was “extremely familiar with all of his material and that he would be ready to play any of it for him given a short amount of preparation time”, as he had already “been listening to Zappa’s music for 16 years”. “On the phone the day before the audition Frank had told me to have “What’s New In Baltimore?” and “Sinister Footwear” ready for the next day’s audition”. On the way to the audition Keneally practiced the aforementioned songs, as well as “Little House I Used To Live In”, and “every single Zappa melody I could think of, kind of as an exercise for my memory” as his brother Marty was driving the car.

After Zappa breaks up the band, more or less mid-tour, MK goes back to gigging with Drop Control, as well as doing all sorts of sessionwork, including three albums with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.

In 1991 MK joins the Dweezil Zappa band, later Z, and tours the world with that band a couple of times in the years to come. MK and Marc Ziegenhagen work together for the first time for the Zappa’s Universe project.

In 1992 MK releases hat.

There is not that much info available about gigs in this era of MK’s career, so if you can help me, get in touch. Please.

August 27 1989 The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control
setlist: [RS: I don’t know the complete setlist for this show, but I know it contains…]
Don’t Give Me The Runaround / This Grievous Mistake / Car Song (mark II) / The Wreckage Was Large [setlist provided by Ron Spiegelhalter]
tape: audio exists (Note: these four songs are on the same tape that has the 4/27/89 show)

December 16 1989 – Tom Jeter’s living room, Vista, CAprivate party
The official name for the party was “Cuatro Caras De Éxtasis” or “The Four Faces Of Ecstasy.”
personnel: Drop Control, Jon Kanis
setlist:
tape: video exists